Sault pharmacy opens virtual walk-in clinic, with more planned

Here’s an option for Sault residents, particularly those in the city’s east end, who need to see a doctor without waiting in Sault Area Hospital’s emergency department.

Beginning Thursday morning, patients began seeing a doctor on a video screen at the Ideal I.D.A. Drug Mart located at 1416 Wellington St E., near Churchill Plaza.

The virtual walk-in clinic will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

“We’ve been working on getting medical clinics into all four of our drug stores over the last few months,” said Joseph Greco, co-owner of those four Sault I.D.A. Drug Mart locations.

The Ideal I.D.A. Drug Mart is the first in the east end to have a walk-in clinic, Greco told SooToday.

“It’s a telemedicine clinic. The doctor comes on the screen and he can diagnose ailments and refill prescriptions. We’re also going to be opening a walk-in medical clinic at our location at the Wellington Square I.D.A. Drug Mart once that location is finished its renovation, hopefully in the summertime,” Greco said.

Participating Ontario Telemedicine Network physicians (from elsewhere in the province) will be attending to patients through videolink at the Ideal I.D.A. Drug Mart, then at the other I.D.A. Drug Mart locations by the end of 2020.

“(But) we run it. it’s our staff who’s there, everybody you’ve come to know and trust. It’s fully staffed and run by local people. It is free. There is no charge for it,” Greco said.

“The customer comes in (sees a doctor through video technology) and they can conveniently fill their prescription at that pharmacy, and we have the prescription ready in five to 10 minutes. It’s very, very quick.”

“The doctor’s actually able to look in your ear with digital tools we’ve been given for this clinic, which our staff is trained to use under the guidance of the doctor,” Greco said.

“A doctor can actually diagnose 25 to 35 different ailments virtually.” 

In addition, Greco said “if the client can’t make it into the clinic but still needs to see a doctor, we can actually arrange for that doctor to call that person at home and do ‘a house call’ and refill a prescription while they’re sitting at their house.” 

The video walk-in clinics don’t stem from a desire to fill a need during COVID-19, Greco said.

Greco said he wishes to take pressure off Sault Area Hospital’s emergency department by opening virtual walk-in clinics.

“We are in constant contact with the Sault Area Hospital, the emergency room nurses, the board of directors, and the feedback we’re continually getting is that we need to somehow help take the pressure off the emergency room for minor ailments.”

“This is going to operate after COVID’s over," Greco said.